Strictly BBall Newsletter 8

Previewing 5 for the Fight Hoopfest in UT, Best HS Team by State Part III, and more!

Who are the top teams in Utah for this loaded event?

by Griffin Greenberg on November 20

This week I’m on the road and will be attending the 5 for the Fight Hoopfest in Utah, featuring some top teams across the nation. Check out the top matchups at the event, part III of the best high school team in each state, and Hudson Greer’s dominant week!

THIS WEEK’S TOP STORIES

Top Event Preview: 5 for the Fight Hoopfest

by Griffin Greenberg 

I will be attending this year’s 5 for the Fight Hoopfest in Pleasant Grove, UT which will feature three of the Strictly BBall top-10 ranked teams in No. 1 Montverde Academy, No. 2 Link Academy, No. 10 AZ Compass Prep. Check out live coverage on my Twitter! Here are the best matchups out in Utah starting today, Monday the 20th.

Monday, November 20th

Sunrise Christian Academy (KS) vs. Alta (UT)

Sunrise Christian’s new-look team takes on a talented team from Utah in Alta in the opener of the event. The Buff’s will look to their talented backcourt trio in Kansas State commit David Castillo, and 2025s Jeremiah Green and Caleb Williams for production. Talented shot maker Spencer Ahrens will also make an impact. Alta is led by Utah commit Jaxon Johnson, who is a versatile forward that leads his team with confidence and can score at multiple levels.

No. 2 Link Academy (MO) vs. Canyon International Academy (AZ) on ESPN+

The defending national champions have a couple of tough, yet intriguing, matchups against two Arizona teams. Link is led by 5-stars Tre Johnson and Jasper Johnson, and a flurry of 4-stars that complete their stacked squad. CIA has Arizona State commit Amier Ali and Jalik Dunkley-Distant, who lives up to the ‘Dunk’ in his name.

No. 1 Montverde Academy (FL) vs. Wasatch Academy (UT) on ESPN+

The nation’s top team takes a different looking Wasatch team in their first game of the season. Montverde has four 5-stars in the nation’s top player Cooper Flagg, one of the most intriguing prospects of recent memory, Derik Queen, Liam McNeeley, and Caleb Gaskins. They have a number of elite 4-star prospects such as Rob Wright III and Curtis Givens. Wasatch has 5-star Isiah Harwell, as well as a number of Nevada transfers in 4-stars John Mobley Jr., Chris Nwuli, Taj DeGourville, and returning center Malick Diallo.

Tuesday, November 22nd

Wheeler (GA) vs. Corner Canyon (UT)

With Isaiah Collier graduating, Wheeler looks a bit different but is still a strong and exciting team. Senior forwards Josh Hill and David Clark will be key pieces for Wheeler against a Corner Canyon squad led by USC commit Brody Kozlowski. This will be an underrated, yet exciting game out in Utah!

American Fork (UT) vs. No. 1 Montverde Academy (FL)

American Fork is a team I’ve noted as one to watch out for for a while. They are led by Weber State commit Tiger Cuff and center Blake Rawson. Montverde will face their second Utah team of the event before heading home and will look to uphold their No. 1 status in our rankings!

No. 10 AZ Compass Prep (AZ) vs. No. 2 Link Academy (MO) on ESPNU

This is an exciting rematch of the Geico Nationals championship, but these teams look a bit different. One familiar face in this matchup is 4-star Oregon commit Vyctorius Miller who is in his second season at AZ Compass. The Dragons also have 4-stars Jeremiah Fears, Del Jones, Sammie Yeanay, and 3-star Luke Bamgboye who is on the rise. Link Academy faces their second Arizona team of the event and will look to their strong guard play in Labaron Philon and Jasper Johnson, as well as their talented wings in Tre Johnson and Jalen Shelley to lead them.

Wednesday, November 23rd

Sunrise Christian Academy (KS) vs. No. 10 AZ Compass Prep (AZ)

This matchup went down at this event last year, where AZ Compass ended up taking down Sunrise Christian in a close one. Last year featured Jordan Ross winning the player of the game on his old home court at Pleasant Grove. AZ Compass has some powerful guards, including Cam Miles and Moses Hipps who weren’t mentioned before. Sunrise Christian’s Spencer Ahrens and Miikka Muurinen can make a big impact thanks to their size and ability to stretch the floor.

Alta (UT) vs. American Fork (UT)

This exciting matchup between these two Utah squads should not disappoint. The battle between Jaxon Johnson and Tiger Cuff is one that many should keep an eye on, being that these are two of the more underrated teams out West.

Tune into next week’s newsletter where we update our top 10 rankings following this event!

The Best by State

by Griffin Greenberg 

Massachusetts - Bradford Christian Academy

BCA has an exciting team that works well together. Top-40 2024 Michigan State commit Kur Teng has a complete offensive game, able to get downhill and knock down threes. His efficiency is very impressive and his high motor is something MSU fans will love next year. Texas A&M commit George Turkson is a high-energy player that makes a big impact around the rim on each side and Bradford Christian’s combination of younger players in Antonio Pemberton and Warren Keel Jr. help balance out their squad.

Michigan - Orchard Lake St. Mary’s

St. Mary’s made it all the way to the state D1 Final Four in last season’s playoffs, proving themselves to be the top in the state heading into the new season. 2025 five-star guard Trey McKenney, a versatile guard that is a tough, multiple level scorer, is arguably the best player in the state and should be a big reason for their success. 2024 Daniel Smythe, 2025 Sharod Barnes, and 2025 Jayden Savoury are also key pieces that can help this team go far.

Minnesota - Park Center

Park Center reached the state finals and fell to an exciting Wayzata team last season, but the dynamic duo of Casmir Chavis and Chiang Ring make this team one to look out for. Chavis is an explosive guard committed to Washington and Ring is an athletic forward that makes a big impact on each end. Wayzata is not far behind Park Center as the defending champions return 4-star Creighton commit Jackson McAndrew, who is set for a big senior season as one of the nation’s top shooters.

Mississippi - Olive Branch

Olive Branch reached the semifinals in last season’s MHSAA 6A playoffs. They have multi-sport athlete Jerry Wall III who serves as a dominant guard and Caleb Hunt who is very consistent in contributing in multiple ways for them. Olive Branch already has had a dominant start to the season which includes a win over the No. 1 ranked team in last season’s MHSAA 6A playoffs in Starkville.

Missouri - Link Academy

The defending Geico Nationals champions are not only the best team in MO, but one of the best teams in the nation coming in at No. 2 in our rankings. Their star-studded roster includes 5-star Texas commit Tre Johnson, 2025 5-star Jasper Johnson, 4-star Kansas commit Labaron Philon, 4-star Arkansas commit Jalen Shelley, 4-star North Carolina commit James Brown, 4-star Missouri commit T.O. Barrett, and many other high-major caliber players. The Lions will travel all over the map this year and eye a second straight national championship with their newly-formed team.

Montana - Manhattan Christian

Despite losing seniors Seth Amunrud and Tebarek Hill, Manhattan Christian looks to be the best in the state of Montana. 2024 Mason Venema, who scored 18 points and gathered eight rebounds in the state C championship, will have a big role on this team. Manhattan Christian looks to repeat as state champions this year.

Nebraska - Bellevue West

The Thunderbirds will try to repeat as NSAA champions and have a great shot at doing so. Despite senior guard Josiah Dotzler graduating, Bellevue West still has one of the top players in the state returning in Jaden Jackson. Eldon Turner and Robby Garcia should be instrumental in the Thunderbirds’ attempt at repeating as champions.

Nevada - Arbor View

Nevada looks very different this season with the amount of transfers that departed, but one player who transferred back in was Pharaoh Compton. The San Diego State commit will play at Arbor View for his senior year, making the team that fell in the quarterfinals of the 5A South NIAA playoffs look like the top in the state. Along with Compton, Maximus Romero, Brian Townsend, and Sebastian Knox should do damage for Arbor View. Some other talented teams in the state include Trinity who has a 7-foot center duo in UNLV commit Papa N’Diaye and Khaman Maker, Coronado led by Josiah Cunningham and Tee Bartlett, Bishop Gorman with Nick Jefferson and Ryder Elisaldez, and Liberty’s 2026 duo in Tyus Thomas and Tyler Bright.

New Hampshire - Brewster Academy

Brewster Academy made a big splash in the high school “transfer portal” as they added many talented players. Iowa State commit Nojus Indrusaitis is electric from beyond the arc, the big men in Georgia Tech commit Cole Kirouac and Purdue commit Daniel Jacobsen both hold their own on each end, and explosive Stanford commit Elijah Crawford should showcase his dominance at the guard spot. This team can do some damage nationally.

New Jersey - Don Bosco Prep

Don Bosco Prep is led by Dylan Harper, the No. 2 player in the nation, but has many other key pieces that help push them over the top. Isaiah Brown, Brady Loughlin, and Keiner Asprilla are a few of the other players that round out this team in a competitive hoop state. Don Bosco Prep will travel and play on a national schedule in big events like Hoophall West.

Strictly BBall Player of the Week

Hudson Greer of Lake Travis (TX) - 26 PPG

Greer home Tournament MVP Honors at this year’s AlamoCityHoops Classic. He helped his team take down talented Texas teams, including Oak Cliff Faith Family who is led by 4-star Colorado commit Doryan Onwuchekwa. 

Greer is a 4 star in the class of 2025 and has been rapidly rising up rankings since last spring. He is an exciting player to watch and is a do-it-all wing. He showcased his shooting ability from deep, along with his explosiveness and athleticness which allowed him to beat defenders and finish strong at the hoop. He seems to always make an impact and does so at the right times.

Weekly Recruiting Update

Final Schools

Class of 2025 5-star guard Jeremiah Fears is down to 10 schools … Alabama, Arizona, Oregon, Michigan, Iowa, Michigan State, Illinois, Ole Miss, Providence and Kansas.

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